NEARLY PERFECT: Gavin Floyd, who retired his first 17 batters, throws a pitch during the White Sox's 5-1 win over the Red Sox yesterday in Chicago. AP

It’s back to playing in Tulsa for Jesse Witten, the U.S. Open’s Cinderella story.

While the world’s greatest player ever, Roger Federer, worked next door, 10,000 fans packed the smaller Armstrong Stadium to watch a fairy tale.

The heavyset, 276th-ranked American qualifier Jesse Witten took the first set from No. 4 seed Novak Djokovic, forcing CBS to switch its coverage from Federer. But the slipper shattered and Djokovic prevailed 6-7 (2), 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-4.

Witten’s storybook run will not get him into the top 200. He will go home at No. 205 but $48,000 richer for advancing to the third round, now a recognizable name after working challenger events for six years. He also is leaving having wiped away thoughts of retirement at age 26.

Witten, who had just lost his sponsorship with Nike, has a date in Tulsa for a satellite event next week, where the total prize money is less than $48,000 Witten won this week.

Witten said he hopes this run will lead to greater success.

“I don’t know if one or two matches really does that,” he said. “I hope it is. I don’t want to deal with being ranked 200, 300 anymore. It helps to see where I am, playing some guys in the top 100, top 10. Usually I feel like I don’t belong was my mindset.”

It was a boisterous, sardine-packed crowd that yelled “J-Dub” across the 3½ hour match.

“The crazy ones? They were college friends,” said Witten, who played four years at the University of Kentucky. “I had 22 tickets and that isn’t enough.”

Andy Roddick, who knew Witten from their Florida junior days, said Witten told him last week he was close to hanging it up, tired of having to qualify for most events. Witten had failed in 10 straight attempts to qualify for a Slam, dating to 2002.

When Roddick was asked the other day how good Witten was back then, Roddick candidly said, “Not that good.”